Laser-induced thermal transfer processes are well-known in applications such as color proofing and lithography. Such laser-induced processes include, for example, dye sublimation, dye transfer, melt transfer, and ablative material transfer. These processes have been described in, for example, Baldock, UK patent 2,083,726; DeBoer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,141; Kellogg, U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,549; Evans, U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,776; Foley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,938; Ellis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,650; and Koshizuka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,917.
Laser-induced processes use a laserable assemblage comprising (a) a donor element that contains the imageable component, i.e., the material to be transferred, and (b) a receiver element. The donor element is imagewise exposed by a laser, usually an infrared laser, resulting in transfer of material to the receiver element. The exposure takes place only in a small, selected region of the donor at one time, so that the transfer can be built up one pixel at a time. Computer control produces transfer with high resolution and at high speed.
For the preparation of images for proofing applications, the imageable component is a colorant. For the preparation of lithographic printing plates, the imageable component is an olephilic material which will receive and transfer ink in printing.
Laser-induced processes are fast and result in transfer of material with high resolution. However, in many cases, the resulting transferred material does not have the required durability of the transferred image. In dye sublimination processes, light-fastness is frequently lacking. In ablative and melt transfer processes, poor adhesion and/or durability can be a problem.